I adore pho 88 on park street in Hartford. Not so much for the pho as for the Bun and Ben xeo (sp?). I found out about this place from the people at Pho 501 in East Hartford when I asked where there favorite non pho joints were. Le's in East Hartford enjoys much praise but i am not a huge fan. Of course pho 501 in east hartford is the go to place for pho and fresh rolls.

Thanks for your recommendations. I had heard about tPho 501 in East Hartford, but I have never tried it. Have you tried the Pho at Pho Boston in Hartford/West Hartford? I was wondering how it compares.

I have had those shrimp rolls at Vietnam in West Hartford, I think that they may be called spring rolls there. and I love them too. Is there anything else that you like there?

Wow-Truc is a blast from the past. It was one of the first Vietnamese restaurants I ever tried. I still make their shaking beef from their cookbook and they had the best Happy Pancakes.Now that building is some kind of clothing store.

I grew up in W.Hartford many moons ago. There was a place on New Park ave, hole in the wall, just north of flatbush ave that had AWESOME Vietnamese food. It became very popular in the mid 80s. I think the chef at Truc originally started at that place. Not sure why Truc fell by the wayside. Imagine that place in brokeback, er, I mean blue back square now. :)

Hmm, I think that's the place I was going to mention. Didn't know they were gone. I think I went to school with the owners' kids, they were named Viet, Nam, and Huong, last name Do. Only ate there once, gratis, when I was about 12, and it was good stuff.

Blast from the past is right! Why did I think Truc had become some sort of Polish place? Did it, and now it's clothing?! Or am I on the wrong block?

ETA: Sorry, back to the OP--I used to love Pho 501 in EH, but when all the restaurants went smoke-free and they kept smoking, I didn't go back. I usually do Vietnamese in Middletown (Pho Mai)--it's a total hole in the wall family joint and my local fave, but I tried ganache123's recommendation for the spicy pho at Pho Boston and did enjoy it very much. It's hard to compare place to place when months go by between my visits (esp. for pho), but I can vouch for #39 at Pho Mai, their spring rolls (the rice paper ones and the fried ones)...and I always enjoyed Vietnam (that's the Elmwood place masha bousha mentioned). Truc was a completely different atmosphere from all these places, but I can't complain about the food in any of them--as masha bousha said, all good.

Hey, how about Lotus in Vernon? I haven't been in ages (too many years to offer much of a report), but it was not quite so bare bones as some of the hole-in-the wall places I love and I remember liking it back when. Has anyone been recently?

Kattyeyes-maybe it is a polish place where Truc used to be. As she said #17 at Pho Boston can't be beat. I call it crack soup as I am addicted to it and usually have it once a week. On another subject-I am always looking for Bunh Mi in the Hartford area. Are there any good places out there for that. I always have some in NYC but sometimes I have a craving at home for it.

Hi, try this thread from last year. My buddy from Pho Mai sent me to Kien in Parkville for banh mi--my first and only one, so I can't compare to NY or anything like that, but it was pretty delicious for the price, lemme tell ya!http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6382...

P.S. Other good suggestions for anyone interested in additional Vietnamese options in CT on the above thread, too. Ciao!